Future Flames
by Constellunaa
Summary: Lucy is a troubled teen, dealing with the rejection of her father and the death of her mother seven years prior. When she gets caught doing something illegal, her father decides it's time she was sent to her aunt's house. Lucy arrives at the beautiful, ocean side town of Magnolia where she meets a strange boy with rose colored hair. Could a relationship develop between them? AU.
1. Troubled Teen

**Helloooo, what's up? XD So I really, really, really love the ocean and I had a dream about something like this the other night. I felt it was necessary to try writing it down in the form of a Nalu fanfic. Anyway, tell me how you like it! Enjoy.**

Lucy's eyes skimmed the vast expanse of clouds while her plane sailed through the sky. As scenery flashed past her unseeing eyes, Lucy merely thought about all the other places she'd rather be. Her headphones tugged uncomfortably in her ears, the music blaring to shield herself from the outside world.

Her head rested on the palm of her hand as she reclined in the stuffy first class sector of the plane. She was surrounded by wealthy entrepreneurs like her father and overly friendly flight attendants. It was sickening.

Lucy sighed and closed her eyes. A memory of the week before flashed in her mind. Everything had been fine until that week. Lucy wasn't the most controlled teenager, and she knew it. She did illegal things, partied with the wrong people, and disregarded authority because she thought she was above it all. _Untouchable_.

One week ago, Lucy's father paced through the halls of their luxurious mansion waiting for his troubled teen to return. The doorbell rang, and to his shock, Lucy stood with her arms restrained by two burly looking police officers.

She had been caught breaking into a car. That one mistake had sent her father over the edge. Jude Heartfilia apologized profusely for the misguided actions of his daughter. The officers warned that she didn't have any chances left; one more mistake and she'd be imprisoned.

"Why do you do this to me, Lucy?! Why can't you behave like a civilized human being? You were raised better than that!" Lucy didn't speak, simply taking whatever her father threw at her. This argument occurred often, so she knew once his anger passed, she would be sent on her way.

"Have I not given you everything you've ever asked for?" Her father threw his arms up in exasperation.

Lucy twitched slightly at his words. "Stop it…" Her voice was barely more than a whisper.

"What did you say to me?" Jude's eyes glinted at his daughter's insolence.

"Stop it! You think you've given me everything? You've given me nothing!" Lucy was screaming now, heat rolling off of her as her anger flared.

"I don't want cars or money. I never wanted that. I wanted you, dad. I wanted a father, but I guess you were too dense to even realize that! Once mom died—"

Lucy jumped as her father slammed his fist into the wall. "Do not mention your mother in my presence!" Silence and tension filled the air. Lucy dared not speak, so she simply stared daggers at her father.

"That's it, Lucy. I've tried. I really have, but that's it. I'm sending you away. It's the best thing I can think of." Jude brushed his hair back and calmed his breathing.

"You need to realize how fortunate you really are. To make you understand that, I'm sending you to your aunt's house. You will stay there until I see fit."

Lucy huffed and crossed her arms. "You can't do that. You can't do this to me. If you ever loved me, you'll let me stay."

Sadness filled her father's eyes for a brief moment before he whispered, "I'm doing this because I love you…"

And now here she was, flying across the world to go stay in some secluded beach village where strangers were a rare occurrence. She let out a long sigh. This was going to be a long summer.

Lucy continued staring out the window, remembering what life was like before her mother's death. When she was seven, her mother experienced a pain in her head, causing her to lose conscious. She was dead before she even hit the ground. The doctors said it was a cerebral hemorrhage.

Ten years had passed since then, and Lucy had changed drastically. Her relationship with her father became broken, nonexistent even. She lashed out at the world, trying to find some sort of peace within her troubled mind. She had become disenchanted with life.

Nothing seemed to sate her uncontrollable thirst for acceptance and love. Her father all but abandoned her. Her mother left her far too early. Lucy had no one to call a true friend.

She had to admit, her existence was a sad one.

A voice over the plane intercom pulled her from her thoughts. "Hello ladies and gentlemen, we will be touching down in the small village of Magnolia for fuel and supplies briefly. This will only take fifteen minutes, and then we shall continue our flight. Thank you for your patience!" 

The intercom cut off, and Lucy sighed. This would be her stop. The rest of the passengers would continue on without her towards the large city of Hargeon.

She tilted her head back against the headrest and closed her weary eyes. _And so it begins…_

Lucy felt the plane descending through the clouds, barreling closer and closer to their destination. Within minutes, the landing gear roughly made contact with the runway ground, jerking Lucy slightly from the impact.

Once the plane was where it needed to be, Lucy stood and removed her luggage from the overhead compartment. She struggled to pass the flight attendants attempting to give her unwanted assistance. She merely grumbled a quick "I'm fine…" in their direction before stepping off into the small airport.

She shifted the weight of her bags on her shoulder before continuing down the long hallway leading to where her larger luggage was being unloaded.

Once all her belongings were back in her possession, Lucy made her way to the front of the small building were her Aunt Tara was supposed to meet her.

Tara was her mother's younger sister, the wilder of the two. While Layla settled down with a wealthy man, Tara was all over the place. She had more relationships than Lucy could count. She lived in countless places, never staying more than two years at a time. That all changed when she met her current and longest lasting boyfriend, Hunter. The pair had been together for nearly eight years now. Hunter had somehow managed to convince Lucy's aunt to live with him in Magnolia after several years of chasing the carefree woman.

Tara had been rejected by her upper class family when she was Lucy's age because of her unrestrained behavior. Aunt Tara always told Lucy she reminded her of herself, longing for more in life than fancy clothes and a distinguished name.

Lucy tugged her heavy bags slowly behind her, closing in on the exit of the airport. She reached the door and pushed lightly, revealing the fresh beach air. The harsh sunlight stung Lucy's eye momentarily. When her vision returned, she saw the familiar smiling face of her aunt. Lucy couldn't help but return a soft smile of her own.

"Hey, kid! Damn, you've grown! You're a spitting image of Layla." The tall brunette rushed over to Lucy, crushing her in a bear hug.

"Can't… breathe…" Lucy exaggerated slightly. She wasn't used to being touched by others so a small blush crept to her cheeks.

"Ha-ha, sorry kid. Here, give me one of them heavy bags. You look ridiculous carrying so much." Tara grabbed the handle of the rolling suitcase in Lucy's left hand and started walking in the opposite direction. Lucy quickened her pace to keep up.

"So, where's the car?" Lucy looked around questioningly. No vehicles were in sight. Tara laughed slightly.

"Sorry kid, we walk places here. No luxuries like cars or phones or internet. You'll realize how great a little break from those things really is, trust me." Tara tilted her head back in a giant smile. Lucy groaned internally. _God…_

"Oh, that's…great, Aunt Tara. Sounds lovely…" Lucy sighed and continued following her.

Tara turned right and headed down a narrow dirt road surrounded by swaying palm trees and ferns. Lucy could hear the ocean nearby and longed for its embrace. The sea was the one place she truly loved.

Her father told her that Tara's house was directly on the beach. This was a prospect Lucy was thrilled about. The ocean would probably be the only thing keeping her sane during her stay.

X-X-X-X-X

"Not much further. We'll be there in ten minutes." Tara could hear Lucy huffing slightly from their walk. It had been nearly an hour since they departed the airport.

"Oh… oh, good… I was beginning… to think we'd… never get there…" Lucy panted and focused on controlling her breathing. Almost the entire time they'd been following the path, there had been a slight incline causing trouble for the poor blonde.

The palm trees seemed to be thinning now, indicating a clearing was up ahead. Lucy began to see sand replace the dirt on the road. Excitement coursed through her veins as her pace quickened.

The path dissipated as they reached the clearing. Lucy's eye drank in the beautiful white sand leading up to the clearest blue water she'd ever seen.

"It's beautiful…" Lucy's lips parted slightly as she took in the magnificent scenery.

"Sure is, isn't it?" Tara had a faraway look in her eyes as she peered across the open expanse of water, her short brown hair blowing slightly in the breeze. "Well then, let's get you to the house. You probably want to clean up after your flight." Tara ushered Lucy forward towards a little beach house not far from the water's edge.

The white paint seemed to be peeling away steadily from the wooden exterior of the house. Red and pink flowers grew in a small garden near the front porch. Rocking chairs and a small table faced the ocean on the porch as well. The screen door leading into the house opened briefly, and a rugged man in his mid-thirties exited with two drinks in his hands. His long dark hair whipped back and forth over his face from the slight breeze. Lucy assumed this was Hunter.

"Welcome back, ladies. I've prepared some supper, and I thought you two might like some strawberry smoothies after that walk back here." Hunter smiled genuinely at Tara and Lucy.

"Ha-ha, thanks babe. Looks great!" Tara pulled Hunter into a quick kiss before walking up the few steps that led to the porch. Lucy pretended not to see Hunter blush briefly.

"Yeah, thank you, Hunter." Lucy tilted her head, bowing slightly. She then followed her aunt into the quaint little house.

The furniture seemed to be older, but it had a very homey feeling. The couches and tables were all white. Most of the colors came through on the walls. Every room inside the house was a different color: from a yellow kitchen to a sky blue bathroom, everything was colored. Surprisingly, it made it look gorgeous. Flowers adorned nearly every table inside the house, adding a uniquely beautiful fragrance.

Lucy smiled at the beauty of the house. It was rather modest in size, which was a nice change from her fifty roomed mansion back home. Maybe this was just what Lucy needed…

"Come on, kid. I'll show 'ya to your room." Lucy followed her aunt up the stairs to the second story.

Tara opened a door to reveal a small bedroom. The walls were a light rose color, the bed had a white comforter with several pink throw pillows sitting on top. A large white chest sat at the back of the bed, and a full length mirror sat at the corner of the room. What caught Lucy's attention first though, was a desk with countless books and a journal sitting on it. The desk sat next to a window seat that overlooked the ocean. It was perfect.

"Your dad said you liked to write. I thought a journal might help you with whatever you're going through." Lucy turned to face Tara before thanking her.

"Nah, don't mention it, kid! I'll let you settle in. Dinner's done whenever you're ready." With that, Tara turned and closed the door behind her.

Lucy walked over to the bed and sat down, dropping her luggage as she did so. She sighed and closed her eyes as she laid down on the bed, her feet still touching the ground. _Maybe this won't be so bad. _

X-X-X-X-X

Lucy had spent the night unpacking and settling in to her temporary home. She was mentally and physically exhausted from the events that had happened that day. The moon shone brightly through her window, casting a pale light over her skin.

She had just left the shower and decided to open her window to watch the water brush up against the sand. The sounds, smells, and visions the ocean presented her soothed her mind. Lucy made her way across the room and sat at the window seat and opened the window. Fresh night air brushed against her skin, creating the sensation of warmth.

Lucy placed her hands under her chin and leaned her arms on the open windowsill. She cocked her head to the side as she noticed someone running along the sand. _I wonder why someone's out this late…_

Lucy watched intently as the figure dashed along the sand, drawing nearer and nearer to area in front of the house. She realized it was a boy around her age, and _damn_ was he built. Something white was wrapped around his head and flapped in the wind as he ran. Toned muscles flexed as his feet pounded away at the sand.

Lucy dragged her eyes away from his ripped chest to look at his face. A goofy, childlike smile spread over his entire face, and what looked to be pink hair bounced on his head. Wait, _pink_? Lucy smiled slightly. She had to admit, he was rather handsome.

She heard him laugh as he continued running, nearly completely in front of the house now. Why was he out running at night? Was that a _scarf _wrapped around his hair? Lucy couldn't help but think this boy was incredibly peculiar, nothing like the guys back home. He seemed free, and she envied him.

Lucy laughed quietly at his jubilant expression. Suddenly, as if he could hear her small laughter, the boy turned his head and looked directly at Lucy. His running slowed for a moment to watch the strange girl curiously. Lucy's breath caught in her throat as she locked eyes with him.

"Crap…" Lucy squeaked as she ducked out of sight, falling off of the window seat and onto the floor. She heard boisterous laughter from the beach. Lucy blushed profusely while she silently cursed herself for getting caught staring.

She stayed slammed against the floor for a few more moments before raising her head and peering out the window. She saw the boy running again, already far passed her house. She sighed in relief before the feeling of longing and loneliness set in.

She wanted to meet him, to know how that boy could smile so brightly. She wondered what his friendship would be like. Lucy watched the boy run until he was nothing but a speck bobbing up and down in the distance.

Lucy sighed and stood from the window seat. She flopped down on the bed face first and cuddled up into the pillows. She smiled slightly remembering his gleeful expression and closed her eyes. _Maybe it's not so bad here after all…_

X-X-X-X-X

Natsu loved running at night, it was exhilarating and freeing. The breeze made him feel alive and the summer heat propelled him to race faster and faster. He ran along this area of beach nearly every night, so he was surprised when he saw a pair of chocolate eyes staring down at him from Tara's house. He was positive that room was never used. The window was never opened and Tara didn't have children.

Curiosity filled his mind as he slowed his pace slightly to peer up at the strange creature. Honey colored hair framed her pale face and delicate hands rested on the windowsill. He had heard her laugh at something, drawing his attention to her. Was she laughing at him?

Shock and embarrassment filled her eyes. Natsu held her eyes before she ducked quickly out a view. Natsu's hearing was excellent so he heard a muffled "Crap!" and a thump as she hit the floor.

Loud laughter escaped his lips. She sure was weird; weird, but interesting.

He waited a few moments for her to reappear, but she never showed. Disappointment filled his face, but he shrugged it off and continued his run. _Maybe I'll come back tomorrow…_


	2. Pleasure to Make Your Acquaintance

**Hi guys! Long time no update! Sorry for the wait, I've just been super unmotivated lately. I'd like to thank LittleBuddy12 for messaging me and reminding me that I have stories to write! Alright, without further ado, I present to you chapter two of Future Flames. Enjoy.**

* * *

Chapter Two

Pleasure to Make Your Acquaintance

Sunlight spilled through the opened window of Lucy's new room, and its warmth lightly touched her exposed skin as the blonde slept soundly. The white comforter lay sprawled on the floor, leaving only the soft sheets covering her. Lucy's pale legs poked through the covers, cooling her off from the heated air of Magnolia.

The muffled sound of music could be heard from her headphones. For the past seven years, Lucy slept with her phone or radio playing music her mother used to listen to when she was alive. The sound comforted Lucy and made her feel as though her mother was protecting her while she slept. It was a way for Lucy to anchor her mother to world.

A gust of air brushed passed the window and ruffled the disheveled blonde hair visible from under a bed pillow. "Ungh…" Lucy moaned slightly and turned over onto her stomach, not wanting to depart the world of sleep just yet. Her arms brought the pillow over her head, trying to block out the unwanted light from reaching her sensitive eyes. Consciousness nagged at her to wake up and embrace the day, but Lucy was never a morning person. _Just three more hours…_

Unfortunately for Lucy, her aunt had other ideas about sleeping late. Just as she was about to drift blissfully back to unconsciousness, Tara burst through the door with a tray of food in one hand and an alarm clock in the other. She noted the sleeping form of Lucy and grinned mischievously to herself.

"Well that just won't do. She can't waste the day away sleeping, now can she?" Tara laughed quietly as she walked up to the desk and placed the food tray silently onto its surface. She glanced back at Lucy and tiptoed up to the blonde. Tara set the alarm for seven o'clock, placed the device by Lucy's ear, and waited. The current time was 6:59.

After a moment, the most irritating buzzing noise Lucy had ever heard began disrupting her peaceful sleep, causing her to jump up and off the comfortable bed onto the hard wooden floor. "Oww! What the hell, Aunt Tara?" Lucy rubbed her backside gingerly and looked back up at her aunt for an explanation.

"Ha-ha! God, that was the greatest thing I've ever seen! I need to do that every morning. Ah, that was beautiful." Tara wiped a tear from her eye and glanced back at her fuming niece. "Oh relax, kid. I made you pancakes so you can't stay mad at me."

Tara reached down and helped Lucy to her feet. The blonde plopped back on the warm bed and let out a long, drawn-out sigh. Looks like her sleep would be cut short. It was then that Lucy took note of the sweet smelling, steaming stack of awesome waiting for her on the desk a few yards away. She glanced up at Tara and gave her a small grin. "I guess I'm not _that_ mad at you. Um, do you happen to have a glass of milk to go with those pancakes?" Lucy batted her long eyelashes at her aunt.

Tara rolled her eyes and revealed a glass from behind her back. "Here, you ungrateful child. Now, get to eatin', we've got a lot to do today. I think I'll introduce you to the guys down at the aquarium. I figured you might want to work there for the summer to earn some money for souvenirs."

Lucy scrunched her face up in discomfort. Work? She had never worked a day in her life. And at an aquarium? Lucy recalled her father telling her about Tara's line of work. She was a marine biologist, meaning she studied and protected the marine life off of Magnolia's shores. She specialized in marine mammals which probably meant Lucy would likely help with the seals and dolphins. And that meant touching dead fish. Awesome.

Lucy shook her head free from the negative thoughts. _No, I can't think like that. I should try and be more optimistic. I mean, I'm going to be here for the next three months, might as well try and be happy, right?_ The face of the boy she saw last night flashed in her mind briefly. She was taken off guard by his sudden appearance and once again shook her head.

Lucy stood and walked over to her desk and sat, wanting nothing more than to bury her face into the delicious pancaky goodness sitting before her. "I'll let you get dressed and eat. When you're done, come downstairs and we'll talk about the agenda for the day." Tara made her way across the room and exited, closing the door behind her.

Lucy picked up her fork and glanced down at the pancakes before closing her eyes and sighing. She really wasn't used to this much human interaction, and quite honestly, it was exhausting. Lucy decided there was no point in prolonging the inevitable, so she hurriedly consumed the meal and walked into the bathroom linked to her room.

The small, pale blue room contained all the basic necessities of a bathroom, plus a nicely sized bath tub. Lucy always enjoyed taking baths, mostly because it made her feel as if she was disconnected from the outside world.

She strode towards the mirror and sink and began her morning ritual: brushing her teeth, washing her face, applying moisturizer, using deodorant, and attempting to fix her long, slightly wavy hair. The ocean air caused her locks to appear curlier than she was accustomed to, but Lucy managed to French braid the mess, leaving the bangs free. Lucy always liked the more chaotic, less perfected hair styles.

She checked over her face, noting that she actually appeared well rested without any dark circles under her honey eyes. Well at least she would appear decent if she happened to meet that strange boy from the beach. Lucy blushed slightly, making herself roll her eyes in disgust.

She was never one to go all gushy over a guy. In fact, she had never actually been in a real relationship. Most of the boys she hung out with back home were notorious womanizers, wanting only one thing from Lucy. But she never gave them what they wanted, earning her the title of "prude". Lucy may be a delinquent teenager, but she was not a slut. She just had trouble letting down her shields around men. She had her father to thank for that after he practically left her to cope with her mother's death alone. Plus, she never really met a guy she was willing to be in a relationship with.

Lucy let her mind wander as she left the bathroom and sauntered towards her closet. She had unpacked her clothes the night before, filling up the closet and the drawers of the dresser. She briefly glanced out the window before returning her attention to the wardrobe. Considering how hot it was outside, Lucy decided ripped jean shorts and a _Panic! At the Disco_ tank top would be the most comfortable. As casual as the outfit was, it still managed to show off her curvaceous body, much to her satisfaction.

Lucy double checked her appearance in the mirror resting at the corner of her room before walking downstairs to where her aunt was waiting for her. "Hey, Aunt Tara? I was wondering, what kind of job I would be doing at the aquari-ahh!" Just as Lucy reached the bottom of the stairs, a large white dog came bounding around the corner of the kitchen and successfully knocked Lucy to the floor and licked her face until it was fully saturated.

"Ha, I see you've met Plue." Tara sat at the kitchen table laughing at Lucy's predicament. The aforementioned dog was a monstrous Great Pyrenees with a goofy looking grin on his drool covered mug. Lucy was surprised the dog didn't overheat in the weather with his insane amount of fur. "Uh, good doggie." Lucy patted Plue's massive head as the gentle giant rested his face and upper body on Lucy's chest.

"Oh, yes he is. Who's my good baby?" Aunt Tara spoke in the generic obsessive dog owner voice as she knelt on the ground with her arms opened wide, welcoming Plue to ram his face into her chest. Lucy stood from the ground, wiping away imaginary dirt from her backside before returning her attention to Tara and Plue.

"I didn't know you had a dog." Lucy ran her fingers absentmindedly through his thick, white coat as she spoke to Tara. Plue closed his eyes and sighed in contentment from the contact. "Yeah, we rescued old Plue back when he was a puppy nearly eight years ago. His previous owners didn't realize the amount of work needed to care for a dog his size, so they left him to wander the streets in one hundred degree weather." Tara's eyes held sadness and affection as she peered down at the bundle of fur.

"Hunter found him curled up under the porch of our house, dehydrated and starving. We nursed him back to health and voila! Now he's as good as new." Plue barked in agreement, and Lucy couldn't help but smile. Somehow she related to the dog. She has been wandering around aimlessly, searching for answers and a reason to continue, now she just needed someone to rescue her like Tara did for Plue.

"You and Hunter are really good people, aren't you?" Lucy continued stroking Plue, glancing up at Tara as she spoke. Sadness once again filled the brunette's turquoise eyes, making Lucy halt her movement. "I'd like to think so now, but we all have skeletons in the closet we'd like to forget." Tara stood and turned her back to Lucy, shielding her expression from the curious teen.

"Aunt Tara, I—"

Tara spun around quickly, a bright smile once again plastered on her tan face. "Well anyway, we have a lot to do, kid. We should probably get going."

She walked up to Lucy and placed her hand on her should before turning to leave. Lucy stood in the kitchen, conflicted over her aunt's actions but decided she would leave the issue alone. She grabbed a pair of black converse and struggled to get the shoes on quickly in order to catch up with her aunt.

As soon as Lucy pulled the door open, the humid air hit her like a ton of bricks. Sweat already began forming on the top of her blonde brow as she darted to reach Tara. Lucy wondered silently how the citizens of Magnolia managed to survive this infernal heat every day, let alone walk in it everywhere.

A light breeze ruffled the stray hairs surrounding Lucy's face as the two women strolled down the fern and palm tree covered path they walked the previous day. Hopefully the trip wouldn't be as excruciating as yesterday's.

The pair traveled in silence, much to Lucy's dismay. She wordlessly contemplated whether or not she said something offensive during their conversation earlier, but drew a blank.

Lucy was so lost in thought, she rammed into her aunt's back after nearly fifteen minutes of silent walking. Clutching her nose gingerly, Lucy looked up and watched Tara smile and point off to the right of the sandy path.

"The aquarium is right down this way. I can't wait to let the boys get a good look at'cha. They're gonna' die!" Tara's bright eyes sparkled as she talked about the volunteers working with her. Lucy blushed at her aunt's wording, not sure how to respond.

"I mean, it's not every day a pretty little thing like you drops by." Lucy scratched the back of her neck, grimacing when she felt how sweaty she had become. _Oh yeah, I'm so attractive with my face melting off in this heat._

Reading Lucy's apparent discomfort, Tara boisterously laughed at her niece and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, kid. You'll cool down in no time. I got a special job just for you." Lucy gulped as she watched the older woman's eyes light mischievously.

Turing around, Tara jovially continued down the path to the right, Lucy trailing behind with her hands in her pockets and a concerned expression glued to her features. Lucy could only imagine what "special job" her aunt had in mind. Perhaps diving with orcas or feeding the sharks…

The palm trees began clearing and Lucy's eyes widened at the wonderland before her. In all honesty, she was never one to get all hyped up over something as trivial as an aquarium or amusement park, but this was magical.

Smiling faces were everywhere as children, teens, and adults roamed the vast area of attractions surrounding the aquarium itself. The building was rather large and in almost perfect condition, which surprised Lucy since Magnolia was so small and didn't receive many visitors.

The outside offered tourists an array of marine life to pose for pictures with—from the stone sea lion statues to the pink-octopus mascot children were fawning over—everything was magical.

Tara looked back at Lucy and grinned happily at her niece's dumbstruck expression. "I guess you were expecting something a little different, huh kid?"

Lucy simply nodded her head tentatively, awkwardly smiling. Tara clutched Lucy's arm and began pulling her forward. "Well kid, Welcome to the Fairy Tail Aquarium!"

Lucy's smile widened and she glanced up at her aunt with a new found excitement. Tara began pulling her in the direction of the automatic doors while people called out greetings to the older woman.

Tara responded to everyone and smiled as she noticed the mascot with children crawling all over him directly in front of the entrance. Glancing down at her niece, Tara's eyes glinted with deviousness before yelling out to the mascot wearing boy, "Yo, Natsu! Get your butt over here! I got someone very important for 'ya to meet!"

Natsu, who Lucy could only imagine was the one wearing the ridiculous octopus outfit, glanced over at the pair before dashing over.

As he jogged over, the eight legs attached to the midsection of his costume bounced lazily, causing Lucy to chuckle slightly. His face was completely concealed inside the pink top of the outfit, and she could only assume it was unbelievable toasty inside.

"Hey, Tara—" his head tilted to look at Lucy, "—and friend." Lucy noted how young his voice sounded, and she felt as if she'd heard it somewhere before. Tara slapped Lucy on the back causing the blonde to jolt forward, nearly colliding with the costume clad stranger.

"This here is my niece, Miss Lucy Heartfilia. She's gonna' be stayin' in Magnolia all summer which means she'll be helpin' out here too." Lucy awkwardly waved briefly before glaring at her aunt.

Natsu laughed and stuck out a tentacle as if asking for a handshake. Lucy grinned at the comical situation and decided to play along, shaking it with vigor.

"Nice to meet 'ya, Luigi. Name's Natsu Dragneel." Lucy raised her brow and placed her hands on her hips. "It's Lucy."

Tara grinned at the two teens before speaking again, drawing their attention back to her. "I have a little task for you, Natsu. Since she's new here, she's going to need a guide to show her the ropes."

Lucy gawked at her aunt, mentally cursing her for passing her off to the first person they met. She didn't even know this guy!

"Sure thing, I was getting tired of being tackled by kids anyway. C'mon, Lucy." The pink-octopus wearing Natsu motioned for the blonde to follow him. Tara quickly stopped him by shouting, "Oh, and Natsu? Might want to take off the costume."

Natsu looked down and internally face palmed. Great, now he looked like an idiot.

He removed the mask and shook his pink hair, throwing sweat free from his face. Lucy simply stood, rooted in her place. _Wait, isn't that the beach guy? Oh my god._

He continued removing the outfit until he was left wearing only swim trunks and a white scarf. _Yep, definitely him._ Natsu turned and noticed Lucy's surprised expression. He scratched the back of his head gingerly and averted his eyes while a wide grin pulled his lips back, revealing his pointed canines.

"So uh, how about we start that tour?" Natsu began walking into the entrance of the aquarium, leaving Lucy wonderstruck on the pavement outside. If he wasn't going to say anything about it, neither would she.

* * *

Natsu guided Lucy all around the aquarium, showing her the odds and ends of nearly every job she'd have to complete while working there. Lucy noted how his dark eyes lit up when they neared the sea lion exhibit.

"This is where I spend most of my time." Natsu motioned to a small stage facing a stone amphitheater-like structure. Lucy assumed it was where sea lion shows were held each day.

"Oh, and here I thought you spent your time dressing up as pink cephalopods." Lucy joked about his costume, grinning when she saw his cheeks enflame.

"Ha ha, you're really funny. That was a one-time thing. The guy who usually wears the costumes was sick today." Natsu lightly elbowed Lucy as she laughed at him.

"Anyway, this is where I hold shows with the sea lions. If Tara lets you, you could probably help me here." Natsu glanced at Lucy, watching as her eyes lit up.

She'd never admit it out loud, but she was ecstatic about working with Natsu. Maybe it was because he was the first friend she made, or maybe because he was the most attractive, funniest, most genuine guy she'd ever met; either way, she would be happy to work here with him.

Natsu lightly grabbed Lucy's wrist and guided her towards the stage, helping her step up onto it. Lucy watched as the pinkette's jovial smile spread all the way to his eyes. Her wrist tingled warmly where their skin connected.

"C'mon, there's someone I want you to meet!" Natsu continued pulling the blonde teen behind the stage to a water enclosure. Ten sea lions swam and bathed in the sun while Lucy's smile broadened.

Natsu released her wrist and walked up to the glass tank, motioning for her to come closer. Lucy internally scowled at the loss of contact between the two, but dismissed any thoughts as she watched a little brown blur dash across her vision.

Lucy stepped closer to the glass and placed her pale hand delicately on the tank, waiting for something to happen. After a moment, a little sea lion surprised Lucy by jumping out of the water and balancing his flippers on the top of the glass just above her head.

She jumped back and squeaked in shocked as Natsu laughed freely. He extended his tanned hand and scratched the slippery creature between its eyes and grinned mischievously.

"This here is Happy. I saved him when he was just a pup about six months ago." Natsu looked at the sea lion lovingly before grinning back at Lucy.

"So cool…" Lucy eyed the beast with caution and curiosity. Her eyes danced over to Natsu briefly. "Can I touch him?" As if to answer her question, Happy barked jollily and nodded his head. Natsu just continued grinning and motioned her forward.

Lucy carefully brought her hand to Happy's face, holding her palm out flat. The sea lion moved forward and placed his face softly into her expectant hand. Lucy looked back at Natsu for a moment, smiling and pointing at the marine mammal, before turning her attention back to Happy.

"Amazing…" Lucy giggled at the texture of the animal's skin.

"Yeah. I thought you'd like him." Natsu scratched Happy's back earning him a satisfied noise from the sea lion.

"Are you kidding? I love him! I've never seen something this amazing up close before." Lucy didn't notice Natsu stare at her in shock, a light blush forming on his tanned skin.

Natsu cleared his throat and pointed to a clock stationed near the stage. It read 3:46 P.M.

"Well it's about time for me to bring you back to your aunt. The aquarium closes at five today since it's Sunday." Lucy had to double take the time. They had already spent nearly seven hours together, but it only seemed like thirty minutes.

She pat Happy one last time before turning and nodding at Natsu. Both teens sauntered off to find Tara, neither really wanting the time together to end.

* * *

"There you kids are! How was the tour? Anything catch your eye?" Tara wrapped her arm around Lucy's shoulder and grinned wildly.

Lucy laughed quietly and nodded her head, golden waves bouncing across her forehead. "The sea lion enclosure." Natsu and Lucy eyed each other and both smiled.

The movement didn't go unnoticed by Tara as she smirked. "Uh-huh. Well, how about Natsu here becomes your personal teacher until you're comfortable with the sea lions then?"

Lucy's eyes brightened before she said, "Really?!" She realized she answered too quickly so she cleared her throat and said, "I mean, yeah that sounds good." A light dusting of color stained her cheeks.

Tara laughed loudly, erasing any tension the blonde was feeling. "Alright then! It's about time to head home." Lucy's aunt eyed both kids before speaking again.

"Unfortunately, I can't leave quite yet. Hunter needs some help feeding the sharks. If only there was someone to walk my poor niece home…" Tara tapped her chin, mischief dancing in her turquoise eyes. She subtly nudged Natsu, throwing her head in Lucy's direction.

"I'm not busy." Natsu raised his hand and smiled. Lucy's heart skipped a beat.

"Great! That's settled then! Have fun kids!" Tara turned quickly before her niece could protest and waved behind her shoulder. _Ah, young love…_

Natsu and Lucy watched as Tara strode away, an awkward silence lingering in the air. Lucy turned and faced the pink haired teen, an apologizing look fluttering across her face.

"I'm really sorry about this, Natsu. You really don't need to—" Lucy was interrupted by Natsu's breezy laughter.

"Natsu Dragneel, are you making fun of me?" The tiny blonde tried to look fearsome, placing her hands on her hips, a scowl not quite reaching her eyes.

"I would never. And I really don't mind walking you back." Natsu turned to walk up the path to Tara and Lucy's house, knowing the way all too well.

Lucy huffed but quickly caught up to her new friend. The pair traveled in silence for half of the walk before Lucy spoke. "So how come you know how to get to the house?"

Natsu turned slightly towards Lucy, his hands behind his head in a casual manner. "Ah, well… I guess you could say I come this was often…"

Lucy nodded her head. "So last night, that was you running, right?" Lucy promised she wouldn't bring up the awkward event, but her curiosity got the better of her.

Natsu laughed and nodded. "Yeah, that was me. And you were the one spying on me, correct?" He lightly bumped her arm with his side, causing the blonde's face to explode into a crimson mess.

"I-I was not spying! I just happened to be looking out my window and saw some strange dude running with a freakin' scarf on his head! Of course I would stare!" Lucy looked away and crossed her arms over her chest in defiance. Natsu simply laughed again, his carefree grin never seeming to leave his perfect face.

Before either teen realized it, they had reached the front porch of Tara's home. Lucy turned around and faced Natsu, a slightly sad smile graced her face.

"Thanks for walking me home. I had a lot of fun today." Natsu's expression mirrored Lucy's.

"Anytime, Blondie. And yeah, so did I. Just think, tomorrow you get to spend more time with yours truly." Lucy laughed and nodded her head before turning to walk up the steps. "Goodbye, Natsu." She waved over her shoulder.

Natsu seemed to think for a moment, a torn look reaching his face. Before he chickened out, Natsu called Lucy's attention back. "Hey, Lucy! Wait a sec."

Lucy turned and eyed the pink haired boy curiously. "Yeah? What's up?" Natsu scratched his head nervously before smiling his signature lopsided grin, effectively melting her heart.

"There's this bonfire to celebrate the start of summer this Friday. I was wondering if you'd like to go with me."

Lucy smiled like a child on Christmas and simply nodded her head, afraid that if she were to speak she'd ruin the moment.

Natsu grinned just as broadly and brought his fist down, silently screaming _yes!_ in his head. "Awesome! It's a date then!"

Before Lucy could say anything else, Natsu was already starting to jog off in the direction of the path leading to the aquarium. "Night, Luce! See 'ya tomorrow!" He waved briefly before running faster into the distance.

Lucy just watched him run and brought her hands to her burning cheeks. This boy would be the death of her.

* * *

**Yay, what did you guys think? I hope you enjoyed it (I even made the chapter a little bit longer than usual)**

**I plan to update all of my stories at least one more time before summer is over, so I hope everyone is excited! **


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